Gear shaping mechanism



March 29, 1932. M 1,851,397

GEAR SHAPING MECHANISM 1 Fil ed Jan. '7, 1951 INVENTOR Jamey/1 LMa/Memv,

Patented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT "WE JOSEPH L. MATTHEWS, on NEW BRUNSWICK, .NEW JERSEY, AssIe noarro I TER NATIONAL MOTOR COMIEANY, OF NEW YOBK,. N.

GEAR SHAPING EMECH-ANISM Application filed. January}, i931. Serial 507,086. I

The present invention relates to steering mechanism and embodles, more specifically,

an improved method of forming steering gear thereof than at the ends of the sector and to compensate for this condition, it has been usual in standard sectors (of the helical worm type) to machine the teeth eccentric to the axis thus producing a high point in the center of the sector and low points adjacent the ends thereof. In this fashion, the teeth of the central part of the sector may be kept closely in mesh with the worm by means of adjustment, even after the central teeth become worn,

"" without danger of binding or tightness at the ends of the sector. With sectors of the side worm type, it is difficult to obtain relief at the ends of the sector during machining since the provision of the above described eccentricity requires extremely difficult machining operations.

' An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forobtaining relief at r the ends of steering sectors and the like, the

desired shape of the sector being perfected after the teeth have been cut. 1

A further object of the invention is to .pro-

vide an apparatus of the above character, wherein the shaping and quenching operations may be effected simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for obtaining relief at the ends of sectors by forming the same in a desired fashion after the teeth have been cut.

Further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation, showing a quenching press which is adapted therebetween in a desired manner as the sector is submerged in the oil 24.

surface nor does A CORPORATION or DELAWARE to quench and shape an object simultaneously, Flgure 2 is aview in end elevation show-" ing a sector formed in accordance with the present nventlon.

F-i ur'e 31s a view in side'elevation, showing the'sect'or of Figure 2.

Referring to the above drawlngs, part1cularlyto Figures 2 and 3, itwill be seen that the sector shaft 10 carries a sector 11, the

plane of the teeth of which has been formed to slope away from a central or intermediate high point 12.. v This plane is indicated by the line A in Figure 3 and the plane of cutting, prior to shaping, is indicated by the line B.

The ends 13 of the sector thus lie below the high point'12 and cause the teeth at the highpoint to engage the worm more closely than the teeth adjacent the low points 13.

After the cutting of the teeth in the normal plane B, the sector is formed in'the manner described hereinafter, this, step being done any time after cutting whether the sector is hot or cold. The shaping is preferably done at the time of final quenching for hardening the piece and may be done in a press comprising a frame 14 supporting cylindersv 15 and 16. A piston 17 is slidably mounted within cylinder 15, while piston 18 is carried the cylinder 16. At the lower end of pisy ton 17, a die 19 is carried, this die being adapted to receive the sector shaft and, on its lower face, being curved, as at 20 to shape the sector suitably during quenching.

Piston 18 carries a cooperating die 21 which is formed with a curved surface 22 similar to the surface 20. Pipes 23 may supply com-' pressed airto the respective cylinders and actuate the dies to shape the sector received The shaping process does not add to the manufacturing operations required in making the 7 it add materially to the expense of such operations, since the standard equipment now available may be usedwith only the' slight alteration of changing the dies-of the press.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defined in the appended claim.

I claim asmy invention:

A device for forming gear sectors in .desired shapes comprising a receptacle adapted to receive alquenching vloath, a pressure member carried thereby and movable into the bath, v

a cooperating pressure member. coaxial with the first member and movable with respect thereto, and pressure plates carried by the members and having pressure surfaces each converging to a high point intermediate the endsthereof. y v v This specification signed this 3 1 day of December, A. D. 1930. v v

, I .VJOSEPHIL. MATTHEWS. 

